Tag: Paramount Pictures

Paramount’s ‘Scream 7’ Hits Highest Decibel With $97.2 Million Global Box Office Debut

Paramount Pictures’ seventh installment in the 30-year-old “Scream” horror franchise didn’t disappoint, generating a $97.2 million global box debut through March 1.

Scream 7, featuring returning cast members Courtney Cox, Neve Campbell and David Arquette, bowed at No. 1 across North American screens with $64.1 in estimated ticket sales.

The opening marks the franchise’s largest international launch and the biggest ever domestic opening for a February horror theatrical release. It’s also Paramount’s first theatrical No. 1 debut in almost 12 months.

Gary Barber, CEO of Spyglass Media Group, which launched the “Scream” franchise in 1996 before partnering with Paramount in 2020, lauded Paramount, including co-chairs Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg, for being “tremendously supportive since day one” and committed to making Scream 7 a priority tentpole for the studio.

“We are truly grateful to audiences around the world who enthusiastically showed up to theaters, ready for another thrilling Ghostface experience,” Barber said in a statement.

“Even the ‘Alien’ movies, with their blend of science-fiction, creatures and horror, did not open this well at this point in their franchise (the seventh ‘Alien’ movie opened to $51 million in June 2012),” David A. Gross with FranchiseRE, wrote in a post.

Sony Pictures Animation’s GOAT was No. 2  with $12 million, upping its tally after three weekends to almost $74 million domestically and $130.5 million worldwide. Sony’s animation unit is also responsible for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Netflix’s hit feature film KPop Demon Hunters.

Warner Bros. Pictures’ Wuthering Heights, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, added $7 million in third-weekend ticket sales, upping its tally past $72 in North America and almost $120 million overseas. The worldwide total now stands at $192 million.

Trafalgar Releasing’s concert film Twenty One Pilots: More Than We Ever Imagined — Live in Mexico City was No. 4 over the weekend with $3.7 million in ticket sales.

Neon’s concert film from Elvis director Baz Luhrmann, EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, saw another $3.5 million in ticket sales following last weekend’s $4.3 million debut, upping its North American tally to $7.8 million.

Lionsgate’s I Can Only Imagine 2 added $3.1 million in second-weekend ticket sales, upping its North American total to $13.3 million.

Other results saw Amazon MGM Studios’ Crime 101 add $3.4 million in estimated third-weekend ticket sales to give it $30 million domestically overall since launch, followed by 20th Century Studios’ survival drama Send Help with $2.8 million in fifth-weekend revenue to bring its domestic tally to $60 million.

A24’s How to Make a Killing added $1.6 million in estimated second-weekend ticket sales to give it a global total of $6.3 million.

Finally, Disney’s Zootopia 2, which hit digital retail platforms Jan. 27, added $1.43 million in ticket sales, upping it North American total to $426 million after 14 weeks. The movie will be released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc March 3.

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Paramount Eyeing Outsized ‘Scream 7’ Theatrical Weekend Debut Following Record $7.8 Million Thursday Screening Revenue

Paramount Pictures has high hopes for its first major theatrical release of 2026: the seventh edition of the venerable “Scream” horror franchise, again starring Courteney Cox and Neve Campbell.

The movie is projected to debut with $51 million in North American ticket sales the weekend ending March 1  according to estimates from BoxOfficeReport.com.

The movie tallied a record $7.8 million in Feb. 26 screenings in select markets. The film features Campbell’s return to the franchise after not appearing in the sixth movie, while Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega are absent after appearing in the previous two installments.

“Critical reviews have been mixed, more so negative than positive, but reviews likely won’t come into play at the box office until after opening weekend,” analyst Daniel Garris wrote in a post.

Sony Pictures Animation’s GOAT should drop back to the No. 2 spot with $11.5 million in projected revenue — down about 32% from last weekend’s $16.9 million. The movie is likely to hold up even better this weekend offering family audiences a big screen option before Pixar Animation’s Hoppers hits theaters on March 6.

Warner Bros.’s Wuthering Heights should round out the weekend box office podium with $6.7 million in third-weekend ticket sales.

The rest of the weekend theatrical slate includes six releases, which are projected to generate just $11.9 million in combined ticket sales. They include Neon’s EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert with a projected $3.2 million in revenue; Lionsgate’s I Can Only Imagine 2 ($3.1 million); Amazon MGM Studios’ Crime 101 ($3 million); 20th Century Studios’ Send Help ($2.4 million); Trafalgar Releasing’s new concert film Twenty One Pilots: More Than We Ever Imagined ($1.8 million); and A24’s How to Make a Killing ($1.6 million).

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Paramount’s ‘Running Man’ Remake Available on Disc March 3 From Alliance

Paramount Pictures’ remake of The Running Man will be released on DVD and as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Disc combo pack March 3 by Alliance Home Entertainment. The 4K Blu-ray edition will be available in both standard and limited-edition Steelbook packaging and includes a digital copy code for the film.

Directed by Edgar Wright, The Running Man is based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King about a deadly game show in which contestants must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins. The film stars Glen Powell, William H. Macy, Lee Pace, Michael Cera, Emilia Jones, Daniel Ezra, Jayme Lawson, Sean Hayes, and Katy O’Brian, with Colman Domingo and Josh Brolin.

The Running Man earned $37.8 million in domestic theaters and $68.6 million worldwide. Read a review here.

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Bonus materials available with the 4K Blu-ray include a commentary from Wright, Powell and writer Michael Bacall; deleted and extended scenes; trailers and digital spots; and several featurettes:

  • “The Hunt Begins” — Jump into the chase with Powell, Wright, and the team as they rebuild Stephen King’s classic into a movie.
  • “The Hunters and the Hunted” — Meet the cast and characters.
  • “Welcome to the Running Man: Designing The World” — A look at how the team crafted the movie’s retro-futuristic style.
  • “Surviving The Game: Shooting The Running Man” — Step onto the set for a closer look at the stunts, fights, and shoot days.
  • “The Running Man Commercials” — In-world commercials for the show.
  • “The Running Man Show” — Dive deeper into the show with its hardest hits, signature opening titles, and the official rules every contestant has to face.
  • “The Runners – Self Tapes” — Raw, unfiltered self-tape submissions from the show’s desperate, overconfident, and occasionally unlucky contestants.
  • “Speed the Wheel” — A satirical in-world game show where running for your life is just another studio challenge.
  • “The Americanos” — Meet America’s richest, boldest, most chaotic family in their hit reality series.
  • “Stunts Compilation” — A look at the hits, falls, wire work, wipeouts, and chaos that fuel the film’s biggest moments.
  • “Hair, Makeup and Costume Test” — Watch the cast get locked into their final looks before stepping into the arena.

 

Paramount’s ‘Primate’ Hits Digital Retail Platforms Feb. 10, Disc April 21

Paramount Pictures’ household pet-turned-predator horror film Primate launches across digital retail channels on Feb. 10, with a Blu-ray Disc and DVD release set for April 21 — both with 30 minutes of bonus material.

From director Johannes Roberts (47 Meters Down), the ‘R’-rated film generated $39.6 million at the global box office, including $25.5 million across North American screens.

In the film, Lucy’s tropical island homecoming was supposed to be beaches and best friends — not a fight for her life. When her family’s exceptionally clever chimp spirals into a savage rabid frenzy, the night explodes into terrifying chaos. With her father away and no help coming, paradise becomes a prison as Lucy and her friends fight to survive a deadly predator they once trusted.

Bonus material includes commentary by Roberts and producer Walter Hamada; and the featurettes “Primal Terror: Directing Primate”; “New Blood: The Faces of Primate,” about the cast; “Creating Ben,” about the chimpanzee visual effects; and “Designing Paradise,” about creating the Hawaiian villa setting.

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Paramount’s ‘The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants’ Hits Digital Retail Jan. 20, Disc March 31

Paramount Pictures’ The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants is set to hit digital platforms for premium rental or purchase on Jan. 20 with more than 20 minutes of bonus content. It arrives on Blu-ray Disc and DVD March 31 from Alliance Home Entertainment.

The movie generated almost $145 million at the global box office, including $68 million across North American screens.

In the film, when an attempt to prove he’s a true big guy accidentally summons the fearsome ghost pirate The Flying Dutchman, SpongeBob and Patrick are swept into a wild underworld quest. With colossal challenges ahead and a rescue crew on their trail, SpongeBob discovers that real courage shines brightest when friends face the unknown together.

Bonus content includes:

  • “The SpongeBob Ensemble: The Veteran Voices” features returning cast in the voiceover booths.
  • “The SpongeBob Ensemble: The New Crew” showcases new cast members in the voiceover booths.
  • “The Flying Dutchman: Animated Artistry + Live Acting” features the cast and crew on creating the Flying Dutchman.
  • “From Bikini Bottom to the Underworld” with the production designers on animating the Underworld.
  • “Big Guy” by Ice Spice: Ice Spice music video.

 

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Paramount’s ‘Roofman’ Releasing on 4K UHD Blu-ray Disc, DVD Jan. 20

Alliance Home Entertainment will release Paramount’s heist caper Roofman, starring Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst, on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc and DVD Jan. 20.

The movie generated more than $31 million at the global box office, including $22.3 million across North American screens. It was released on Paramount+ Dec. 9, after launching across digital retail platforms on Nov. 11.

Based on a true story, the movie follows Jeffrey Manchester (Tatum), an Army veteran and struggling father who turns to robbing McDonald’s restaurants by cutting holes in their roofs, earning him the nickname “Roofman.”

After escaping prison, he secretly lives inside a Toys “R” Us for six months, surviving undetected while planning his next move. But when he falls for Leigh (Dunst), a divorced mom drawn to his undeniable charm, his double life begins to unravel, setting off a compelling and suspenseful game of cat and mouse as his past closes in.

The 4K edition is a combo pack that includes the film on both 4K and regular Blu-ray discs, plus a digital copy code.

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Bonus material includes deleted and alternate scenes, plus five featurettes:

  • “Based on Actual Events and Terrible Decisions,” a look behind-the-scenes with the cast and filmmakers as they uncover the story of Jeffrey Manchester.
  • “Chasing the Ghosts: The Director’s Method,” an in-depth exploration of director Derek Cianfrance’s documentarian approach to crafting the movie.
  • “A Good Place to Hide,” which shows the set designers re-creating a Toys “R” Us store.
  • “Driving Lesson,” in which Kirsten Dunst gives her on-screen teenage daughter, Lily Collias, an actual driving lesson.
  • “Choir Practice,” a lively church choir rehearsal led by Uzo Aduba.

Paramount+ to Begin Streaming ‘The Running Man’ Remake Jan. 13

Paramount Pictures’ The Running Man, starring Glen Powell and directed by filmmaker Edgar Wright (Last Night in Soho, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Baby Driver), will be available to stream on Paramount+ Jan. 13.

The remake of the 1987 dystopian sci-fi action film, based on the 1982 Stephen King novel of the same name, generated $68.6 million at the global box office, including $37.8 million across North American screens.

Powell (Twisters, Hit Man, Top Gun: Maverick) portrays a blacklisted laborer in desperate need of money for his daughter’s medication. When the only option left is to participate in “The Running Man,” a popular TV program that follows contestants as they tried to avoid being murdered in a nationwide manhunt with the hopes of winning the show’s billion-dollar prize, Powell must do whatever it takes to keep himself, and thus his daughter, alive.

The movie’s supporting cast includes William H. Macy (“Shameless,” Fargo), Lee Pace (“Pushing Daisies,” Bodies Bodies Bodies), Michael Cera (“Arrested Development,” Superbad), Emilia Jones (CODA, “Locke & Key”), Daniel Ezra (All American, A Discovery of Witches), Jayme Lawson (Sinners, The Batman), Sean Hayes (“Will & Grace,” “Grimm”), Colman Domingo (Rustin, Sing Sing) and Josh Brolin (Avengers: Infinity War, Dune, Weapons).

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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Discounts Trump’s Push for Paramount to Make ‘Rush Hour 4’

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Dec. 3 defended President Trump’s reported push for Paramount Pictures to produce a fourth installment in the New Line Cinema “Rush Hour” action movie franchise starring Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent

Speaking at the New York Times’ DealBook Summit at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City, Bessent was asked whether Paramount’s reported talks to greenlight Rush Hour 4 were part of an attempt to placate the president as Paramount Skydance attempts to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns New Line.

The three movies (released between 1998 and 2007) generated a combined $850 million in global ticket sales. In 2018, franchise director Brett Ratner saw his $450-million co-producing production deal with Warner Bros. terminated after allegations of inappropriate behavior from multiple women.

Ratner is now attached to a $40 million documentary on First Lady Melania Trump set to release on Prime Video in January.

Ahead of Skydance Media’s $8 billion acquisition of Paramount Global, the media giant agreed to pay Trump $16 million to settle an alleged election interference lawsuit brought by Trump against CBS News and “60 Minutes.”

The new Paramount Skydance, under the leadership of CEO David Ellison, whose father, Oracle founder Larry Ellison, is a major Trump supporter, then agreed to install an ombudsman to monitor for any political bias at CBS News. Ellison then hired Trump-approved Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief of CBS News.

Bessent downplayed any Trump influence, arguing that former President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama struck a multi-million-dollar production deal with Netflix. That agreement came after the Obamas left the White House.

“These things are very complicated,” Bessent said. “If you want to start pulling at every thread, then let’s start pulling at every thread of where [U.S. Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer’s children work.”

Schumer’s two daughters reportedly work as lobbyists for Amazon and Facebook, respectively.

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Paramount Celebrates ‘Roofman’ Digital Release

Paramount Pictures Nov. 20 celebrated the digital release of the dark comedy romance Roofman at a party at The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills in West Hollywood, Calif., attended by stars Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst.

Based on a true story, Roofman follows Jeffrey Manchester (Tatum), an Army veteran and struggling father who turns to robbing McDonald’s restaurants by cutting holes in their roofs, earning him the nickname: Roofman. After escaping prison, he secretly lives inside a Toys “R” Us for six months, surviving undetected while planning his next move. But when he falls for Leigh (Dunst), a divorced mom drawn to his undeniable charm, his double life begins to unravel, setting off a compelling and suspenseful game of cat and mouse as his past closes in.

Paramount Ups Quarterly Filmed Revenue 28% to $756 million

Paramount Skydance reported filmed entertainment segment revenue of $756 million in the third quarter (ended Sept. 30), up 28% from revenue of $590 million in the previous-year period.

The studio’s top-performing theatrical title in the quarter was The Naked Gun relaunch, starring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson, which generated $102 million at the global box office, including $52.6 million across North American screens.

Filmed entertainment pro forma revenue increased versus Q3 2024 revenue, primarily due to the consolidation of Skydance licensing and other revenue. The segment’s operating income dropped $36 million (-13% margin) and $13 million (-3% margin) in the pre-close and post-close periods, respectively.

The filmed entertainment segment lost $84 million in the quarter ended June 30, while posting operating income of $20 million in the fiscal period ended March 31. The studio, which is getting a $1.5 billion uptick in content spending in 2026, expects to deliver 15 theatrical releases next year.

“Performance was below our expectations primarily due to the performance of the in-quarter film slate,” CEO David Ellison wrote in the company’s shareholder letter. “We expect theatrical revenue to be down year-over-year as we work to recalibrate our film slate and as we compare against Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning in 2025.”

The Tom Cruise-starrer generated almost $600 million at the global box office, including $197 million across North American screens. The movie was the top-selling Paramount home entertainment release in the quarter.

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